This year I plan to read all the GA Book Award Nominees and provide a “one stop” resource for teachers who would like to use these books in their classrooms. I will be posting links to author Web sites, teacher’s guides, and related Web links. I hope to make this an unbiased resource, so I will not be providing my own review of the books–other than recommending it as a read aloud (or not).
Billy Creekmore: A Novel
Summary: One day a stranger comes to claim Billy Creekmore from the Guardian Angels Home for Boys; and he embarks on a cross-country journey in search of his past, his future, and his own true self.
Author Web Site: Brief Biography on Harper Collins Web Site
Other Author Resources: Author Essay on Billy Creekmore
Teaching Resources: Link to Reading Guide from Harper Collins (pdf)
Related Resources: Circuses
Circus Historical Society Photos
Circus History in Sarasota (includes slideshows)
Circus Web: Circuses Past and Present
History of the Circus from Jugglenow.com
Related Resources: Coal Mining
A Coal Miner’s Collection: Photos of Coal Miner’s Basic Necessities
Coal Miner’s in the Past: United Mine Workers of America Web Site (Includes Photos)
Kentucky Coal Museum Web Site (Includes Short Video about Mining Towns)
Little Miners: Child Labor in the Coal Mining Industry (Includes Photos)
Related Resources: Orphanages
Related Resources: West Virginia
The Official West Virginia State Parks and Forests Web Site: Videos
West Virginia Department of Commerce, Travel, and Recreation
Read Aloud Recommendation: Older students (grades 4 and up) will enjoy exploring the twists and turns of Billy Creekmore’s life from an Appalachian orphanage to the West Virginia coal mines, and finally, to traveling circuses. Told in Billy’s voice, this historical tale about a boy who has to make his way in the world, relying on his own resources, will appeal to students’ sense of adventure in the same way that Huck Finn and Oliver Twist appeal to young readers.